TV weatherman to face sex charges

Television weatherman Fred Talbot has been charged with a string of offences following investigations into historic sexual abuse, Greater Manchester Police said.

The 64-year-old, who was a regular on the floating weather map in Liverpool's Albert Dock for ITV's This Morning, has been charged with nine counts of indecent assault and one count of buggery.

The charges relate to the sexual abuse of five alleged victims, three of whom were under 16 at the time.

Talbot is due to appear at Manchester Magistrates' Court on February 11, police said.

Police said six counts of indecent assault relate to incidents involving one victim who attended a school in Newcastle at the time.

The other offences relate to three victims who attended Altrincham Grammar School for Boys at the time.

The buggery charge relates to an offence against a former pupil of Altrincham Grammar School for Boys.

Former teacher Talbot, of Bowdon in Altrincham, is alleged to have committed the offences between 1968 and 1983, involving up to five male victims aged 19 and under.

The celebrity meteorologist was first detained on April 9 last year.

Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: "We have carefully considered all the evidence gathered by Greater Manchester Police in relation to allegations from five complainants that Fred Talbot sexually assaulted them between the 1960s and 1980s.

"Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Talbot to be charged with 10 sexual offences relating to five complainants, three of whom were under 16 years of age at the time."